The field of the invention generally pertains to luggage and suitcases. The invention relates more particularly to a luggage system for detachably securing and transporting multiple luggage pieces in a side-by-side arrangement.
Travelers often use more than one luggage piece to carry their clothing, personal items, and other articles for use in their travels. This presents a considerable problem for travelers when carrying or transporting their luggage through airports, hotels, and the like. Although a traveler often has the option of renting or purchasing a separate luggage cart, dolly, or hand truck, or retaining the services of airport or hotel personnel, these methods of transporting luggage are sometimes expensive, impractical, or burdensome on the traveler.
Various methods of arranging and securing together luggage pieces have been used in an effort to facilitate multiple luggage transport by an individual traveler. These methods typically employ a single piece of wheeled luggage with additional luggage pieces stacked and secured on top. For example, in both U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,252 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,886 additional luggage pieces are transported on top of a wheeled luggage piece functioning as the base of a dolly or hand truck. In U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,252 a portable case and collapsible trolley combination is shown having an extendable handle framework pivotally hinged to a portable case. When converting the combination for transport, the extendable handle framework is pivoted and extended and two wheels are rotated from side arms on the handle framework to form a dolly configuration. Additional pieces of luggage can be subsequently stacked on top of the portable case and transported in typical dolly fashion. Likewise, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,886, a luggage system is shown for transporting an additional luggage piece stacked on top of a wheeled luggage piece having an extendable tow handle. The additional luggage piece has a supplementary tow handle which is extended through the extendable tow handle of the wheeled luggage piece, and used to tow the combined luggage system. This arrangement secures the additional luggage piece from falling off the wheeled luggage piece during transport.
The methods disclosed in both U.S. Pat. No. 3,960,252 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,886, however, are generally insufficient to safely and reliably carry multiple luggage pieces, especially luggage pieces carrying heavy loads. Transporting heavy laden luggage pieces can be difficult to steer and control due to the high center of gravity when additional luggage pieces are stacked on a dolly. This is especially true when pushing the dolly in a forward manner rather than towing the dolly from behind. Moreover, luggage pieces stacked on a dolly can fall off during transport, and also have a tendency to topple over when the dolly is stood upright. Measures to secure luggage pieces in a stacked configuration may be insufficient. For example, the use of a supplementary tow handle in U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,886 may secure the additional luggage piece having the supplementary tow handle. All other additional luggage pieces, however, are not prevented from falling off during transport.
In addition to dolly arrangements, another method of arranging and transporting multiple luggage pieces is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,771,871 disclosing a luggage with a self-contained convertible wheeled carrier. The luggage has a first article holding compartment pivotally hinged to a second article holding compartment having wheels mounted on its side walls. This enables the luggage to convert into an additional luggage carrying position as shown in FIG. 1. In this operative position, the second article holding compartment functions as a wheeled base for placing additional luggage pieces.
As can be seen in FIG. 6 of this disclosure, however, this method requires considerable effort by the traveler to convert the luggage from the folded conventional luggage carrying position to the unfolded additional luggage carrying position. This can be a frustrating and burdensome task for most rushed and weary travelers, especially when the article holding compartments are heavily laden. Moreover, converting the luggage to the additional luggage carrying position requires the loading and unloading of all additional luggage pieces placed on the luggage which may compound the frustration.
Finally, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,968, a suitcase assembly is shown having first and second suitcase components which are capable of being assembled in two different arrangements. The first suitcase component has a plurality of caster wheels on its bottom surface, and a plurality of recesses on its top surface and on one side surface. And the second suitcase component has a plurality of projections on its bottom surface and on one side surface which mate with the top and side recesses respectively of the first suitcase component, preferably by magnetic force. In a first arrangement, the second suitcase component is positioned on top of the first suitcase component with the projections engaging the recesses. This first arrangement enables the suitcase assembly to be pushed or pulled. And in a second arrangement, the first and second suitcase components are positioned in a side-by-side manner with the projections engaging the recesses.
As with the dolly method of arranging and securing multiple luggage pieces, the suitcase assembly disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,099,968 also poses several transporting problems. In the first arrangement, stacking the suitcase components raises the center of gravity of the suitcase assembly. This arrangement heightens the risk of falling over and accidental disassembly during transport. This is especially true when traveling over irregular surfaces. Although magnetic force is preferably used to engage the projections and the recesses, magnetic force alone is insufficient to prevent against accidental disassembly. It would be safer and easier to control a combination luggage arrangement having a low center of gravity. Moreover, the second side-by-side arrangement is not intended to be used for transport; it does not allow the suitcase assembly to be pushed, pulled, or otherwise transported in a side-by-side manner. Rather the side-by-side arrangement of the suitcase components serves only as a temporal chair for the traveler to sit on.